It had been thought that the 81-year-old was happy to stand aside after he was drafted in during the attempt to oust the Labour leader in the summer.

Mr Flynn was given two jobs - Shadow Commons Leader and Shadow Welsh Secretary - following the resignation of more than 60 members of Mr Corbyn's frontbench team. It was the first time he had held any shadow ministerial post in 27 years.

Speaking at the time, the Newport West MP said he thought his appointments would only be "for a few weeks".

In the reshuffle which followed Mr Corbyn's re-election as leader, Mr Flynn was replaced as Shadow Commons Leader by Valerie Vaz, with Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens taking on the Wales portfolio.

But it has emerged that he fought against his axing amid claims Corbyn allies Diane Abbott and Jon Trickett wanted him out.

Mr Flynn hinted at his displeasure in a blog on his website on the day he was sacked. He said: "Some people are aggrieved with the reshuffle. I am not ecstatic but I will remain silent on the irritating details to avoid setting another hare running."

Asked about Mr Corbyn's decision to oust him from the Labour frontbench, Mr Flynn told PoliticsHome: "Our glorious leader, in an act of pioneering diversity, courageously decided to give opportunities for geriatrics on the front bench and this was so successful that he decided to create opportunities for geriatrics on the back bench. I'm double blessed."